The Clinical Research Center Research Support Core makes nursing, laboratory and biometrics expertise available to clinical researchers, in addition, it promotes clinical research faculty development by sponsoring seminars, workshops, and other training activities. Specific Aim #2: Enhance the type and quality of direct research support services available for both junior and experienced clinical research faculty. Four areas of research support have been identified for enhancement: Biometrics (Biostatistics, epidemiology and bioinformatics), Research Nursing, Clinical Research Laboratory, and Clinical Pharmacology. A CRC Biometics Support Unit will expand the current biostatistics infrastructure. Bioinformatics capabilities will be developed to provide education and training for medical and dental scientists and students to enhance the use of computational tools in patient-oriented research. A biostatistician/epidemiologist and a data analyst will be hired to meet increasing requests for assistance with ctinical study design, study methodology, data management, manuscript preparation, and population based research. The c!inical research nursing staff will be increased by the addition of a bilingual research nurse and a community field nurse to enhance investigator support, patient recruitment, retention, and community outreach. Two research assistants will be hired to provide technical support for CRC investigators and manage core laboratory resources, in year three, a clinical pharmacologist will be hired to implement clinical pharmacology studies within the CRC. Specific Aim # 3: To increase the number of clinical faculty conducting clinical research and using the CRC. Three research support programs will be initiated to provide developmental funding for clinical research faculty: 1) Start-up funding for new faculty 2) Investigator-initiated clinical research pilot projects 3) Small "seed" grants to stimulate medical and dental faculty to conduct quality investigator-initiated clinical research. In collaboration with the new MSCI-Program Director, develop a clinical research methodology course for dental and medical faculty and students. The CRC will expand the clinical research training programs, workshops, seminars, and grantsmanship workshops for medical, dental faculty and students.